Re Bishop John McIntyre ..... Theres been some discussion as to whether the funeral for John Mac should be in Sale at the Cathedral or at another place ...here are my thoughts on the subject .. titled Another perspective on the question of where the funeral should be .. Ministry is a very costly affair, for both those who are in ministry, and for their spouses and families. And even more costly personally for those who courageously make a stand for those who cannot stand alone and those who are undefended and for the marginalised. And God knows we need people to stand for that. This kind of ministry robs us of energy, sometimes our courage and more often than it should ... our health - through attacks on our immune system. This is more so when prophetic voices and challenging theology are difficult to bear. And sadly sometimes people who are most challenged are also most vocal in their criticism and opposition. Often hiding behind nameless and faceless comments and innuendo. In these circumstances responses can be less than Godly, less that gracious, and yes, even cruel. What is a shame, is that so many people we meet are just the opposite, In every Parish / Diocese there are those who are kind, encouraging, loving and loyal. But it seems to me that all too often, the ones that we remember, the one’s who cut us the most deeply are the ones our families also find difficult to love and forgive. And the ones who affect us the most. +John was a prophetic leader in the best sense of the word. But his was a very costly ministry, to him personally and to his family. They deserve nothing but respect, support and love. And if they choose a funeral venue elsewhere, who can blame them. I was thinking that if the same thing were to happen to me, would my family want me to be buried from a place where life had been so difficult? And the answer is no. Or would I want a funeral in a place where some members of my family, through age or location would find it extremely difficult to get to? And again my answer would be no. Please respect Bp John’s family for their decision to conduct a funeral service in a place where they all felt deeply loved and respected. This is not a slight against a Diocese or a Parish, but a decision made by a grieving family in a difficult time. Please, they need our support.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Jun 2014 12:19:40 +0000
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